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Tennessee has had a higher rated class than S. Carolina every year since Fulmer was fired and does again this year. The problem is keeping and developing the talent, not attracting it.

You're assuming that your coaches can evaluate prospects as good as our coaches. Just because you end up ranked higher in Rivals, Scout, etc. doesn't mean you have more talent. I think it's pretty obvious we have more talented depth than UT has had in a few years.

I am excited about this hire. It says a lot that Dooley can still attract a top coach to come to the program coming off of the year we had and all the idiots in TN spewing garbage all over the place. Even if he is an alumni this will help calm the sky is falling crowd around TN.

My opinion is that Graham see's an opportunity where his services are GREATLY needed at his alma mater. Like any great coach he thinks he can come in and improve our run game and too be that honest with you that won't be too hard to do. We finished 118th in rushing I think so we don't have anywhere to go but up!

Graham will be a key part of our success or failure next year as our passing game should be great next year, but we HAVE to have a running game to go with it. Dooley knew he needed to bring a top flight coach in and did.

I am sorry it hurt your program, but I think you will find a great coach as you have a great stable of RB's and some up and coming RB coach will jump on the opportunity to coach Latti.

Good luck in your Bowl!

__________________Master Bedroom:
If UT goes 7-1 in the SEC next year I will get a tattoo of Dabo on my butt!

When a team is 118th in rushing it's more than just the RB. You're putting way too much emphasis on this hire. Although I do agree that it's impressive to convince Graham that now is the right time to return.

This does not really hurt us much at all. Blip on the radar imo. No disrespect to Graham as he did his job. But Shawn Elliott, his scheme, and his ability to somehow get us through the past couple of years with a makeshift oline is the biggest coaching reason our running game has improved. Throw in a Heisman talent RB in Latti and Shaw's ability to run the zone read and there are many more reasons than Jay Graham for our recent success. Again, he's done a good job. But he's not a miracle worker.

It is my opinion that UT will bounce back with their next head coaching hire. Lane Kiffin left a mess. But Dooley's also just not a very good coach. Nothing from his background says he is unless just being Vince's son makes him a great coach.

It's his recruiting that makes this loss hurt. Spurrier has got to get a top notch recruiter

I certainly agree that a RB coach needs to be able to recruit to really earn his paycheck. I think we'll be able to find that. We may even upgrade in that regard. Certainly would with Porter or someone like that(realize he's supposedly going to OSU, just sayin).

I agree he isn't the only piece of the puzzle, i think we sorely need to restructure our blocking schemes also, but our running backs ran straight up the backs of our Oline and never made anyone miss or broke a tackle.

He's gotta help some!

__________________Master Bedroom:
If UT goes 7-1 in the SEC next year I will get a tattoo of Dabo on my butt!

Graham is a good hire. He might feel like he would be retained even if dooley got canned, which is probably true. Certainly the UT folks would go to bat for him with any new staff and if he's got the goods...

I agree he isn't the only piece of the puzzle, i think we sorely need to restructure our blocking schemes also, but our running backs ran straight up the backs of our Oline and never made anyone miss or broke a tackle.

He's gotta help some!

I've just always thought a lot of a RB's success is on his own personal ability. Some just have a knack for seeing the hole and breaking tackles. We've had guys run into the back of olinemen as well. I read somewhere that that was part of the reason we put Miles in in the Clemson game because Wilds did that a few times. I think Spurrier mentioned that in the post game.

One thing I'll say is that he isn't going to hurt y'all. I just don't see this being a hire that's going to put your offense over the top(no pun). Got to get that oline straightened out. Don't we all though.

I could understand the appeal for him to coach at his alma mater, but there are too many negatives to take that rumor seriously. Dooley will be fired after next season, his schedule is tough and I think the vols are going to struggle to win 5 games AND Graham would be leaving the opportunity to coach a Heisman contending RB.

bump.

I was right, except for the Heisman. I just feel bad for Graham, but I know he'll get a job somewhere. With our current RB's and the ones we hopefully have coming in he let his heart make a critical error for his head.

__________________"to be honest with you, if you just graded it out, we won in every phase of the game,” Swinney said. “We lost on the scoreboard."
LOLOLOLOLOL

Well that's good.. I figured he would probably be okay because his allegiance was probably more with the university rather than the administration due to him being an alum and only having been there a year

Just to let everyone know, Jay Graham has already been told he will stay on the staff under the next coach.

He is fine.

Eric, I know you are a huge Tenn fan and your posts on this board are always very fair and credible. But there is no way that UT can tell Graham that at this point.

It is up to the new coach to decide who stays on staff. Sure I do understand that the AD is the next coaches boss, but there is no way that UT is going to tell some high profile coach "hey, we would love to have you an all, but you have to keep Jay Graham on staff or we will look somewhere else."

Now the AD could assure Graham that he will keep him on in an admin role regardless of what happens, but he just can't promise him that he will be on the coaching staff IMO. Unless your AD is Jerry Jones.

He also is spearheading recruiting while we are looking for our next coach.

He is the only coach on the staff that is safe.

Does he have some guarantee from the AD, like a signed contract? When a new HC comes in he usually has the authority to hire his entire staff. Yes, he could choose to retain Graham, but everything is still up in the air.

I don't see your AD saying to the new HC, "You can hire your staff...except for the RB coach, we've already picked who that's going to be. He's a former player, coached us last year and helped us be ranked 66th in Rushing Offense."

__________________"to be honest with you, if you just graded it out, we won in every phase of the game,” Swinney said. “We lost on the scoreboard."
LOLOLOLOLOL

I was right, except for the Heisman. I just feel bad for Graham, but I know he'll get a job somewhere. With our current RB's and the ones we hopefully have coming in he let his heart make a critical error for his head.

Really liked Jay...he was a good fit here...hopefully this will make current coaches think twice...not sure if any of them that left earlier this year improved their status. Sometimes the greener grass is a mirage...

Does he have some guarantee from the AD, like a signed contract? When a new HC comes in he usually has the authority to hire his entire staff. Yes, he could choose to retain Graham, but everything is still up in the air.

I don't see your AD saying to the new HC, "You can hire your staff...except for the RB coach, we've already picked who that's going to be. He's a former player, coached us last year and helped us be ranked 66th in Rushing Offense."

I am not sure if it is contractual or not, but Graham has been quoted as telling recruits that he has been assured that he is going to be retained by the next coach.

He has basically recruited all of the good players in our class right now, and has really improved our RB's play and is an alum.

I would guess if a major hire did have a problem with him being on staff something could change, but I think the AD is going to go to bat for him and it shouldn't be a hard sell.

__________________Master Bedroom:
If UT goes 7-1 in the SEC next year I will get a tattoo of Dabo on my butt!

I am not sure if it is contractual or not, but Graham has been quoted as telling recruits that he has been assured that he is going to be retained by the next coach.

I like Jay and I hope he does stay of staff, but there is simply no way he can know this so what he is telling recruits is incorrect!!! Unless your AD is going to keep Graham on staff and turn down a big time coach if that coach has a difference of opinion on who should be on his staff.

Sorry, but I am not buying it. If John Gruden interviews and says "I want to start fresh and bring in my own staff" there is going to be absolutely NOTHING from your AD that is going to make it a "hard sell."

You know what your AD is going to do if that happens with a big named coach that Tenn really wants????? The AD is going to say "OK DOKIE THEN" just like in Tommy Boy.

I will be SHOCKED if Graham is looking for work this offseason. He was a helluva coach here and was probably the only one worth a damn on that staff. His rushing attack wasn't as good as it was here, but they threw the ball a ton and Lane's emergence late was good for them. Plus, he gets credit for the job he did here with our backs, specifically Wilds last season, at least in my eyes.